I'm wondering if I'm going to be able to do this business. We're putting in my second kitchen this week, so I guess I'd better hope so, huh? I guess I just hope that my family and friends are not just being nice and that I can actually make a business out of this. Another concern of mine is that all the cake places around here are mostly sheet cakes and I don't think people in my area are used to paying more than $20 for a cake. Is this going to work? Am I good enough to charge what I'm going to charge? I'm not outrageous, but you better believe it will cost more than a sheet cake. How do you explain that to people who have no idea? Has anyone broken out into an area like this before? On the one hand it could be awesome, but on the other....
Oh well, I'm not even sure if anyone has anything to tell me. I'm just getting nervous I guess b/c we just dumped $4000 into a second kitchen 
Gasp. Thanks for reading if you got to the bottom of this 
Anyone going into businesss or planning on going I highly suggest doing a business plan. Most of the questiosn you asked would be answered while doing that.
Where are you located? Have you found out if you can have a business out of your home? A lot of states and cities dont' allow it.
Yes, its all allowed and I've talked to the health inspector many times and it will be legal in a few weeks (as soon as we get him and the fire marshall in here). That actually wasn't really what I was talking about. I was more talking about the ability to make enough to make this work. I should have been more clear. I live in Nebraska and am near Omaha and several other good sized cities. I guess its just scary. Mostly, I've been doing this for friends and family to get a handle on the costs, so its hard to be able to tell if an actual customer will be willing to pay me what I will need to do what I do.
Oh and I hope no one takes offense to the sheet cake thing. I don't mean sheet cakes like are done here. I mean 'stop at the store and pick it up on the way to the party' sheet cakes.
Sounds like you already have a good start. Glad to hear you can do it out of your home in NE =)) I am about 5 hours straight east of you on the otherside of iowa =)
I know that there are at least 2 possibly more CC members in the Omaha area. Hopefully they will be able to answer some of your questions about the area.
But I imagine in a city that size there is always room for higher end cakes. You also have to be prepared to hear the "oh your so expensive" bit quite a bit. A lot of people are in the wal-mart mentality and want it cheap. If you have to try to talk them into paying your price then they aren't your customer to begin with. You just need to make sure you advertise to the right market.
when i opened up here, there hadn't been a real bakery in over 25 years...just the grocery store.
YOU'LL DO GREAT!
Yes, you can do it. It is only natural to have that doubt when you are getting this close. It wouldn't be normal if you didn't have those fears. I had all those and more before during and after I opened my doors. I still wonder and worry if I can do this and then I have to remember I AM doing it, and so are you. 
It is a huge task that you are taking on and you should be proud of yourself! Many people want to do it but don't go through with it. How many people have already told you there was something they always wanted to try for a business but never did? I can't count how many have said that to me in the last year since I started this endeavor! Be happy and proud of yourself. Remember...nervous is normal.
It is a huge task that you are taking on and you should be proud of yourself! Many people want to do it but don't go through with it. How many people have already told you there was something they always wanted to try for a business but never did? I can't count how many have said that to me in the last year since I started this endeavor!
"Regret for the things you have done can be tempered by time.
It is regret for things we have NOT done that is inconsolable."
-----Sydney J. Harris
Go for it!!! I believe is about educating your potential customers. Explaining the difference between a custom made cake made from scratch than a cake bought in a grocery store and why there is such a price difference.
You will be surprise how many people have desire a person like you in their area. Willing to pay more in order to have a good quality made to order cake.
I am so happy to have come across this thread today! You are an inspiration to all of us "woulda, shoulda, coulda" bakers. I have the same fears and apprehensions that you do and to hear everyone's sincere encouragement is uplifting and inspiring! I have been thinking seriously about that second kitchen lately. Thank you for having the courage to start your business and sharing your fears and concerns with us. I wish you only success and happiness in your business! Please keep us up to date on how your doing!
To everyone who may have some words of encouragement for Yelle66 and the rest of us like her, thank you!
There are a lot of people in the Omaha area more than willing to pay for a beautifully decorated cake. There are also a lot of people who will hear your prices and head straight to the grocery store. And I'm guessing there are more of the latter. Those are the people you don't want as clients! Do a good job of advertising, and I think you'll be surprised at the response. For a city this size, there really aren't a lot of cake shops. Have you thought about contacting the local country clubs to see if they need a reliable place to get cakes? Many of them don't have a decorator on staff, and farm out the special orders.
I am so happy to have come across this thread today! You are an inspiration to all of us "woulda, shoulda, coulda" bakers. I have the same fears and apprehensions that you do and to hear everyone's sincere encouragement is uplifting and inspiring! I have been thinking seriously about that second kitchen lately. Thank you for having the courage to start your business and sharing your fears and concerns with us. I wish you only success and happiness in your business! Please keep us up to date on how your doing!
To everyone who may have some words of encouragement for Yelle66 and the rest of us like her, thank you!
Gemini! Great to see someone from Omaha. You do some really cute stuff! I have a lot of respect for cookie people (being as I tried it for the first time this week and it was not pretty -one of them came out how I wanted. Thanks for the advice. I think as soon as I get my kitchen done and attend a few more classes I will do that!
imakecakes, you are too sweet and I hope you are able to do it. There is nothing better (or scarier) than doing what you love.
indydebi, as always thanks for the inspiration!
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